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26 Mar 2004 : Column 1079W—continued

Secondments

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what secondments (a) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (b) Deloitte & Touche, (c) Ernst & Young and (d) KPMG have made to his Department since 2001; for what (i) periods and (ii) tasks the secondments were made; whether secondments of staff from his Department have been made to those firms; and for what (A) periods and (B) tasks. [156923]

Mr. McNulty: Secondments are part of the Interchange Initiative, which promotes the exchange of people and good practice between the Civil Service and other organisations. Before an Interchange can occur all parties must be satisfied that no conflict of interest arises.

The Department for Transport was formed on 29 May 2002. All information dates from 29 May 2002.

According to Department records, there have been no secondments of staff from Department for Transport to these firms.

According to Department records, there has been one secondment into the Department for Transport from these firms:

1 Grade: SCS

Band: SCSPB

Organisation: Ernst & Young

Host: Transport Finance Directorate

Post held: Assistant to Corporate Finance Advisor

Start: 19 January 2004

End: January 2005

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

1 Millbank

Norman Baker: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners if he will list those others occupying parts of 1 Millbank indicating in each case (a) the square footage occupied and (b) the rental received. [164051]

Sir Stuart Bell: Central Lobby Consultants occupy 1,299 square feet at 1 Millbank and Parliamentary Contacts occupy 250 square feet. The whole of the adjacent sites at 2 Millbank and 5 Great College Street are also let.

26 Mar 2004 : Column 1080W

The Church Commissioners do not publish income figures for individual tenants as this information is commercially sensitive.

DEFENCE

Defence Estates

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much public money was spent on the relaunch of Defence Estates prior to April 2003. [163547]

Mr. Caplin: A total of £24,066 was spent on the re-launch of Defence Estates, which took place on 1 April 2003.

National Servicemen (Memorial)

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to promote the establishment of a memorial to the UK's post-1945 National Servicemen. [162874]

Mr. Caplin: The Ministry of Defence receives many requests from individuals, ex-Servicemen's groups and charitable organisations seeking assistance with various projects. The vast majority have worthy goals and can make an equally compelling case for support. It will therefore continue to be our policy not to promote any specific projects, such as that advocated by the hon. Member, as it would be divisive and open to criticism from unsuccessful applicants, if the Government were to pick and choose which to support.

A memorial dedicated to all National Servicemen was unveiled last year at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

Press Officers

Mr. Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many press officers were employed in his Department in each year from 1990–91 to 2003–04; what the total cost was in each year; and if he will make a statement. [162843]

Mr. Caplin: Information for the years from 1994–95 to 2001–02 was provided in my letter of 14 July 2003 to the hon. Member, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

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Information for the years 1990–91 to 1993–94 is no longer available. Information for the years 2002–03 to 2003–04 is currently being researched and I will write again to the hon. Member once the information is to hand.

RAF Innsworth

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what account he will take of the impact on the community of Innsworth, Gloucestershire, when deciding on the future of RAF Innsworth; and if he will make a statement; [163921]

(2) what discussions he plans to have with personnel at RAF Innsworth, Gloucestershire, about the future of the base; and if he will make a statement. [163920]

Mr. Ingram: The implications of defence decisions on Service and civilian personnel, and indeed the wider community will be actively considered in the analysis and decision making process.

Personnel at RAF Headquarters Personnel and Training Command have been informed of the planned work to examine the possible collocation of the RAF Headquarters and they will continue to be updated at appropriate intervals. A communication strategy, including consultation with Trades Unions, is in place to ensure dialogue between the study team and all staff.

Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make a decision on the future of RAF Innsworth, Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement. [163922]

Mr. Ingram: I expect a report on the findings of the study into the possible collocation of the RAF Headquarters before the end of the year, and will make a decision thereafter.

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Mr. Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors he will take into account when deciding on the future of RAF Innsworth, Gloucestershire; and if he will make a statement. [163923]

Mr. Ingram: In reaching a decision on the future of RAF Headquarters Personnel and Training Command, the operational and financial implications of the options under consideration together with the relevant environmental, social and economic effects, including the impact of other relevant studies will be considered.

Retirement Age

Mr. Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department intends to remove its compulsory retirement age of 60. [162902]

Mr. Caplin [holding answer 22 March 2004]: The Department is now reviewing its retirement age policy for all MOD Civil Servants below the Senior Civil Service. The review will also consider when the Department should implement any changes resulting from that review.

The Department's current retirement age of 60 does not apply to all grades; some have a retirement age of 65 and others somewhere between 60 and 65.

Secondments

Mr. Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what secondments (a) PricewaterhouseCoopers, (b) Deloitte & Touche, (c) Ernst & Young and (d) KPMG have made to his Department since 2001; for what (i) periods and (ii) tasks the secondments were made; whether secondments of staff from his Department have been made to those firms; and for what (A) periods and (B) tasks. [156920]

Mr. Caplin: Information available on personnel seconded to the Ministry of Defence from the above named companies from 2001 is as follows:

Inward Secondments

Company	Start date	End Date	Tasks
PricewaterhouseCoopers	October 2000	October 2001	Commercial Adviser
Ernst & Young	February 2001	February 2002	Commercial Adviser
Ernst & Young	October 2001	August 2002	Commercial Adviser
PricewaterhouseCoopers	August 2002	August 2004	Commercial Adviser

There are no outward secondments.

Project Angus

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the purpose, cost and duration of Project Angus. [163970]

Mr. Caplin: Project Angus is the construction of a new Fleet headquarters building at Whale Island, Portsmouth. Construction started in February 2003 and the completed building will be handed over to the Royal Navy in May 2004, at an estimated final cost of £22 million. This is the final step in the Fleet First re-organisation of the Fleet headquarters which has created a better integrated and more effective Fleet headquarters and saved around £10 million a year in running costs.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Connexions

Charles Hendry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how the performance of Connexions Direct is assessed. [161032]

Margaret Hodge: Connexions Direct is assessed by measuring their performance against indicators which include the service being available 18 hours a day and the promptness of answering. In addition, a pilot user survey has been conducted and a mystery shopping exercise is being undertaken.

Sure Start

Mr. Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what funding is being allocated to Sure Start in the next three years. [161865]

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Margaret Hodge: Sure Start was allocated funding of £1,223 million for 2004–05 and £1,510 million for 2005–06 in the last spending review, in summer 2002. Funding for 2006–07 will be confirmed, later this year.

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